Color Psychology: Choose the Right Color for Your Listings

February 16, 2009

Is there a science behind selecting the right colors for your listings? In this month’s Realtor® Magazine, I spoke with experts in the field of design psychology to learn how the color on the walls may affect buyers’ moods. (Read the article: “Can Color Cost You a Sale?”)

For years, psychological research has been offering insights into how the brain reacts to color choices. Such research is often tapped by the marketing field in making products more desirable to buyers.

Can these same studies be applied to motivating such big purchases as a home? It’s a leap, but at a subconscious level, certain colors on walls may evoke buyers who enter a home to feel more welcoming and even warmer (which may be particularly nice for rooms in chilly areas of the home).

A recent study by lead researcher Juliet Zhu of the University of British Columbia found that red seems to improve attention to detail. (The findings appeared this month in the journal Science.) The researchers speculated that we’re taught at a young age that red means danger so red might slow us down and prompt us to zoom in on details (so would that make it a good choice for, say, surrounding the fireplace or to bring out other key details in your listing?).

Blue: Promotes feelings of calmness, security, tranquility, and cleanliness; lowers blood pressure, cools a room, and serves as an appetite suppressant. Best for: Bedrooms or any restful, peaceful area in a home.

Purple: Boosts creativity, imagination, and meditation, but can have unpleasant subconscious responses. Many adults dislike purple walls, particularly lighter shades of purple that are perceived as more youthful. Best for: Children’s bedrooms and play areas.